Colorado Springs News, Sports & Business

SUNRISE: Suspect in prison chief's death taking medication

DENVER — An autopsy by doctors who examined the body of the man suspected of killing Colorado prisons chief Tom Clements and Denver pizza delivery driver Nathan Leon found anti-anxiety medication in his system.

The autopsy report confirms that Evan Ebel died as a result of a gunshot to the forehead. Texas sheriff's deputies shot and killed Ebel on March 21 as he opened fire during a wild chase and shootout. Authorities say he was on the run after the killings, but it is unclear why he headed to Texas.

The National Weather Service forecasts a high of 90 and mostly sunny skies Tuesday in Colorado Springs. Expect an overnight low of 61.

AROUND COLORADO

Pueblo trying to figure out recall rules

PUEBLO (AP) — Political party leaders and the Pueblo County clerk and recorder are trying to figure out how to hold one of Colorado's first legislative recalls in state history.

According to the Pueblo Chieftain (http://tinyurl.com/kw7fequ ), County Clerk and Recorder Gilbert Ortiz told Republicans and Democrats on Monday he will decide how the recall election will be held and ask for help when he needs it.

Democratic state Sen. Angela Giron faces a recall election on Sept. 10 because of her support of new, stricter gun laws in this year's legislative session.

Sens. push FEMA for details on wildfire mitigation

DENVER (AP) — Two senators are pushing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to detail its efforts to mitigate wildfires.

The senators said Monday they have added a measure in the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill to do just that.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and western lawmakers have talked about the need for consistent funding to mitigate wildfire risks.

Last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior announced a partnership aimed at better leveraging federal, state and local resources to thin and restore forests around reservoirs and dams. The Western Watershed Enhancement Partnership aims to reduce the risk of wildfires that could harm water supplies.

State releases draft drought mitigation plan

DENVER (AP) — The state of Colorado has made its draft drought mitigation and response plan available for public comment.

The plan was revised as part of the state's natural hazard mitigation plan. It includes updates on the state's progress toward efforts to help mitigate the impacts of drought, such as increasing public awareness and encouraging conservation.

It also includes an updated assessment of areas that would be most vulnerable to loss and damage due to drought, plus a revised response framework.

The public has until Aug. 20 to comment on the draft.

Nearly all of Colorado is experiencing some level of drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, which shows southeast Colorado experiencing exceptional drought.

BOULDER (AP) — The University of Colorado says it raised a record $258.8 million during the past fiscal year, which is up 13 percent from the previous record set a year ago.

CU said Monday that of the $258.8 million it raised, $128.8 million was donated through the University of Colorado Foundation. About $130 million was given directly to the university and the CU Real Estate Foundation.

The university says the CU Foundation also recorded $31.8 million in future estate commitments this year, and the total of intended bequests to CU has surpassed $200 million for the first time.

Colorado State University said last week that it also had set a fundraising record for the second straight year, raising $112.5 million in private donations this past year.

Grand Junction council to discuss replacement

GRAND JUNCTION (AP) — The Grand Junction City Council is meeting to find a replacement after a city councilman accused of domestic violence resigned.

The city announced Monday that Rick Brainard submitted his resignation last week. It took effect immediately and the council hopes to find a replacement on Tuesday.

Brainard was arrested in April for allegedly slapping his girlfriend and pushing her into a dresser several times.

In his resignation letter, Brainard said he is not a violent person and was ashamed that he let circumstances get away from him. He says he sought help from professionals and has reconnected with his girlfriend.

State tourism on the rise

DENVER (AP) — Colorado tourism is on the rise, but the state is still trying to catch up with other states.

State tourism officials estimate a record 60 million visitors last year spent about $17 billion in Colorado.

The 2 percent increase last year compares with a 9 percent increase nationally.

DENVER (AP) — Two vendors that lost out on a multimillion-dollar contract to provide technical and retail network services to the Colorado Lottery are questioning the selection process.

The Denver Post reported Sunday (http://bit.ly/13yrY8w ) that the state steered a $62 million contract toward Gtech Corp.

Current vendor Computer Scientific Games International claims the five-person lottery committee that evaluated bids added criteria not required for project proposals or ignored required factors. Competitor Intralot says the state gave little weight to pricing.

The Department of Revenue oversees the lottery. Department spokeswoman Daria Serna declined to discuss the contract. The department's director of purchasing and contract services, Cindy Lombardi, told Intralot pricing was never meant to be the determining factor.

Gtech declined to comment on specifics of its proposal.

Colorado Mountain College looks to add programs

FRISCO (AP) — Colorado Mountain College is working to offer three more bachelor's degree programs.

The college already has bachelor's degree programs in business administration and sustainability studies. The Summit Daily News reports (http://bit.ly/18zAqJ8 ) the school is going through an accreditation process to try to add bachelor's degrees in applied science, nursing and interdisciplinary studies, with an emphasis in elementary education.

It is limited by Colorado law to offering only five bachelor's degree programs.

The college would need to gain approval from the state, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado State Board of Nursing, among others, before offering the new programs.

College officials say the new degrees would be offered only at some of Colorado Mountain College's 11 campuses.

Large wildfires burning in western Colorado

CRAIG (AP) — The Bureau of Land Management says a lightning-caused fire about 40 miles northwest of Meeker is 10 percent contained.

The Citadel Fire in Moffat County was burning on about 1,800 acres Monday. Officials say the fire is threatening three structures. The fire was reported Sunday and is burning in timber, sagebrush, pinion and juniper trees.

Another lightning-caused fire about 20 miles northwest of Meeker in Rio Blanco County has burned on about 650 acres. Firefighters burned vegetation around one threatened cabin to remove fuel for the fire. The East Tschuddi Fire was reported Saturday and was 25 percent contained Monday.

Meanwhile rain and higher humidity have helped dampen fire activity at the 170-square-mile West Fork fire complex in southwest Colorado.

Man shot by Southern Ute police on trial

IGNACIO (AP) — A trial is under way for a man who was shot and wounded by Southern Ute police after police say he ran after them with a bat.

The Durango Herald (http://tinyurl.com/l5onmgy) reports prosecutors in opening statements on Monday said Southern Ute Police Department investigators properly identified themselves when they were following up on a reported assault last December.

Anthony Martinez of Ignacio is charged with felony menacing.

5 accused of making synthetic pot

DENVER (AP) — Five Larimer County residents have been indicted on charges alleging they played a role in efforts to make or distribute synthetic marijuana known as Spice.

The five were advised in U.S. District Court in Denver on Monday of charges against them. They are due to be arraigned Thursday.

Investigators say members of the group got ingredients from China and San Antonio and would sell the finished product in northern Colorado.

Shiffrin bid for Olympic gold gets US daytime slot

SOCHI, Russia (AP) — The slalom gold medal at the Sochi Olympics will be decided during daytime hours in the Colorado hometown of ski star Mikaela Shiffrin.

Exactly 200 days from the Feb. 7 opening of the Winter Games, Russian organizers published the full competition schedule Monday.

Shiffrin won titles at the world championships and World Cup last season. At the Olympics, she will compete at night Feb. 21 in the Rosa Khutor resort. Slalom medals are expected to be decided about 9 p.m. local time, or 10 a.m. in the 18-year-old Shiffrin's hometown of Vail.

Men's and women's downhill contenders probably will start toward midday, or 3 a.m. in New York, on Feb. 9 and 12.

TODAY IN HISTORY

In 1885, Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States, died in Mount McGregor, N.Y., at age 63.

In 1886, a legend was born as Steve Brodie claimed to have made a daredevil plunge from the Brooklyn Bridge into New York’s East River. However, there are doubts about whether the dive actually took place.

In 1888, author Raymond Chandler was born in Chicago.

In 1914, Austria-Hungary issued a list of demands to Serbia following the killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serb assassin; the dispute led to World War I.

In 1952, Egyptian military officers led by Gamal Abdel Nasser launched a successful coup against King Farouk I.

In 1967, a week of deadly race-related rioting that claimed 43 lives erupted in Detroit.

In 1977, a jury in Washington, D.C., convicted 12 Hanafi Muslims of charges stemming from the hostage siege at three buildings the previous March.

In 1986, Britain’s Prince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey in London. The couple divorced in 1996.

In 1997, the search for Andrew Cunanan, the suspected killer of designer Gianni Versace and others, ended as police found his body on a houseboat in Miami Beach, an apparent suicide.

In 2011, singer Amy Winehouse, 27, was found dead in her London home from accidental alcohol poisoning.

Ten years ago: A new audiotape purported to be from toppled dictator Saddam Hussein called on Iraqis to resist the U.S. occupation. Massachusetts’ attorney general issued a report saying clergy members and others in the Boston Archdiocese probably had sexually abused more than 1,000 people over a period of six decades. New York City Councilman James Davis was shot to death by political rival Othniel Askew at City Hall; a police officer shot and killed Askew.

Five years ago: Hurricane Dolly slammed into the South Texas coast with punishing rain and winds of 100 mph. Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama toured Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, laying a wreath in memory of the 6 million Jews who died.

One year ago: His hair dyed a comic-book shade of orange-red, James Holmes, the former doctoral student accused of killing 12 moviegoers at a showing of the new Batman movie in Aurora, Colo., appeared in court for the first time. Sally Ride, 61, the first American woman in space, died in La Jolla, Calif.